Protector for athletes



Jan. 31, 1928. 1,657,866

' W. C. MOONEY PROTECTOR FOR ATHLETES FiledDec. 24, 1925 gwmnhw Fig /4////'am Q Mooney,-

Patented J an. 31 19 28.

UNITED-STATES wrLLInl c. noonniz,

* 1,657,869 PATENT OFFICE.

or oxtnnomn' our, OKLAHOMA, ASSIGNOB 'ro xarnnnmn m TRACY, or noamnnnv,MISSOURI.

PROTECTOR FOR ATHLETES.

Application filed December 24, 1925 Serial No. 77,470.

This invention relates to protectors for athletes; and has moreparticular reference to a body covering adapted to be secured over theribs, shoulder blades, collar bone,

0 heart and'other vulnerable or vital parts of a football player orother athlete engaging in hazardous sports.

An object of-the present invention is to provide a padded article of thecharacter described which will not be unduly heavy and yet will be veryeffective in receiving and absorbin impacts andblows so that theywill-not communicated to the body of the wearer.

Another object is to provide a protector of the character stated whichwill be sufliciently flexible to be worn with comfort and to allow freemovement of the body of the wearer.

Another object of the invention is to provide a protector havingcushioning means which may be ex anded during use to pro- I vide maximume ectiveness; and which may becontracted when not in use so that thearticle may be compactly rolled or folded so that it will take up littlespace.

These objects of the invention are attained by providing the protectorwith pneumatic pads which may beinflated during use and deflated whennot in use. A plurality of pads is used in preference to a singlepad soas to provide greater flexibility. Moreover, should one pad be puncturedor deflated during a scrimmage, protection will still be afforded by theother pads.

35 Other objects and advantages will suggest themselves during thecourse of the following description of a preferred embodiment of theinvention.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, inwhich like numbers of reference denotes like parts whereever they occur,

Figure 1 is a front view of the protector;

Figure 2 is a rear view thereof Figure 3 is a perspective view ofthe'device;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 44 of Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is a view of one of the pneumatic bags.

The protector comprises a jacket 1 of heavy material such as canvas, thesame bein preferabl without sleeves and adapted toflie fastene in theback by lacing 2. The jacket is short so as to terminate about at the,to prevent thev tube from creeping'or fallwaistline; and is provided onthe right and 7 left sides of its front with respective rows of padholding means,'such as pockets 3, each of which pockets is adapted toreceive an inflatable'or pneumatic bag or pad 4. The rows of pockets arelocated -upon opposite sides of a medial line and extend from the neckto approximately the waist-line, covering the shoulder, breast, and theunderthe-arm portions of the body. The pockets in each row arepreferably elongated approximately transversely to the direction of therow so as to be substantially parallel to the underlying ribs of thewearer. The bags or pads 4 are preferably, therefore, also of elongatedor tubular form, so as to fit the elongated pocket-s 3. The pockets 3are preferably stitched to thefront of the jacket or body covering 1 andmay consist of any suitable material which will resist the strainincident to the impacts and abrasions experience-d in the course of afootball game. The pockets 3 have openings 5, preferably formed in oneof their ends to permit of the introduction or removal therethrough ofthe pads or inflatable tubes 4. The elongated form of tube and pocketprovides a maximum friction surface between the tube and pocket for a'given volume, and thus tends ing out of its respective pocket wheninflated. The openings 5 may, if desired, be constricted so as to besmaller in diameter than the transverse dimensions of the pocket and theinflate-d tube, so; that the tube can not be removed from the pocketuntil it is deflated to permit of its passage through the constrictedopening 5. The openings 5, whether constricted or not, may preferably beprovided with lacings 6 so as to close them completely. The pneumaticbags 3 are each provided with the usual valve 7 which admits ofinflating the bag and which confines and prevents the escape of air.

Having thus fully described this invenv tion, I hereby reserve thebenefit of all changes in form, arrangement, order, or use of parts asit is evident that many minor changes maybe made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit of this invention or the scope of thefollowing claims.

I claim:

1. A protector of the jacket ty e having the frontal portion thereofprovid d with a double substantially arcuate row of padholding means inthe form of pockets, said rows being located upon opposite sides of amedial line and extending from the neck to the waistline therebycovering the shoulder, breastand theunder-the-ar1n portions of the body,each ocket being elongated transversely to the cirection of the row tosubstantially parallel the underlying ribs and collarbone of the wearerand individual inflatable pads adapted to fit within said pockets.

2. A protector of the jacket type having the frontal portion thereofprovided with a double substantially arcuate row of padholding means inthe form of pockets, said rows being located upon opposite sides of amedial line and extending from the neck to the Waist line therebycovering the shoulder, breast and the under-the-arin portions of thebody, each pocket being elongated transversely to the direction of therow to substantially parallel the underlying ribs and collar-bone of thewearer, each of said pockets having their rear ends open and individualinflatable pads insertible within the open end of said pockets.

3. A protector of the jacket type having the frontal portion thereofprovidedwith *a double substantiall arcuate row of padholding means inthe form of pockets, said rows being located upon opposite sides of amedial line and extending from the neck to the Waist line therebycovering the shoulder, breast and the under-the-arm portions of thebody, each pocket being elongated transversely to the direction of therow to substantially parallel the underlying ribs and collar-bone of thewearer, each of said pockets having their rear ends open, individualinflatable pads insertible within the open end of said pockets and meansfor fastening said open ends.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature. 7

